Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and South Bend, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in South Bend, IN: $1,865 a month against $2,203 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
South Bend, IN
🇺🇸 United States
$1,865
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in South Bend, IN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in South Bend, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,203 in Lisbon versus $1,865 in South Bend, IN.

  • Lisbon $2,203
  • South Bend, IN $1,865

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,237 in Lisbon versus $2,852 in South Bend, IN.

  • Lisbon $3,237
  • South Bend, IN $2,852

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $3,840 in South Bend, IN.

  • Lisbon $4,272
  • South Bend, IN $3,840

Living in Lisbon is roughly 18% more expensive than in South Bend, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, South Bend, IN 39% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.01 €15.18
$14.97 $14.97
13.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.7 €55.9
$59.8 $59.8
4.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.42 €10.19
$7.93 $7.93
44.01%
Cappuccino
$3.09 €2.75
$4.45 $4.45
-30.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.11
$1.90 $1.90
24.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.63 $1.63
1.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 €3.09
$5.93 $5.93
-41.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 €2.93
$5.12 $5.12
-35.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.83 $0.83
40.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 €1.66
$2.71 $2.71
-31.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.52 €1.36
$2.84 $2.84
-46.48%
Eggs
$3.88 €3.46
$2.88 $2.88
34.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.87 €11.49
$9.62 $9.62
33.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.94 €7.08
$10.04 $10.04
-20.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.63 €15.73
$9.19 $9.19
91.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.77 $2.77
-18.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.24 $1.24
41.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 €1.68
$2.38 $2.38
-21.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.27 $1.27
94.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.94 $1.94
-4.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.56 $1.56
32.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.49 $1.49
-6.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.73
$1.94 $1.94
-58.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.89 €6.15
$4.87 $4.87
41.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.53 €4.93
$10.61 $10.61
-47.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 €1.19
$1.97 $1.97
-32.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.58 $2.58
-15.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 €2.00
$0.97 $0.97
130.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.14 €40.28
$35.47 $35.47
27.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.00 €3.57
$4.76 $4.76
-15.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.95
$2.02 $2.02
-47.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.53 €14.75
$30.87 $30.87
-46.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.26 €2.02
$0.93 $0.93
143.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K €29.9K
$35.4K $35.4K
-5.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K €36.1K
$25.4K $25.4K
59.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$129 $129
26.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.54 €16.55
$42.57 $42.57
-56.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21 €29.63
$60.5 $60.5
-45.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €41.06
$41.84 $41.84
9.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.80 €16.78
$25.49 $25.49
-26.25%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 €8.45
$13.73 $13.73
-31.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$690 €615
$910 $910
-24.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.0K
$20.8K $20.8K
-19.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 €93.4
$50.7 $50.7
106.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.27 €40.40
$29.75 $29.75
52.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.0 €88.3
$99.2 $99.2
-0.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$119 $119
4.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 €1,413
$1,649 $1,649
-4.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 €1,079
$809 $809
49.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,833 €2,528
$2,528 $2,528
12.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,964 €1,753
$1,582 $1,582
24.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,643 €6,820
$1,574 $1,574
385.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,431 €3,954
$1,561 $1,561
183.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
South Bend, IN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,573 €1,403
$3,234 $3,234
-51.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
6.36
-40.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Last update for South Bend, IN: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
South Bend, IN
$809 33.1% $401
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
South Bend, IN
$277 1.7% $4.6
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
South Bend, IN
$251 1.5% $3.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
South Bend, IN
$232 7.7% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
South Bend, IN
$134 19.9% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
South Bend, IN
$69 6.7% $4.3
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
South Bend, IN
$54 14.6% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Lisbon and $1,649 in South Bend, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

South Bend, IN pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in South Bend, IN. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $277, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 South Bend, IN
🕒 Local time
07:50 7:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
103,453
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon South Bend, IN 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • South Bend, IN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lisbon vs South Bend, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in South Bend, IN?
Lisbon and South Bend, IN differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,203 vs $1,865 including rent). South Bend, IN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 106% lower in South Bend, IN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in South Bend, IN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,583 in Lisbon versus $1,649 in South Bend, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and South Bend, IN?
Childcare runs $690 in Lisbon versus $910 in South Bend, IN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,865 in South Bend, IN versus $2,203 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in South Bend, IN but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes South Bend, IN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and South Bend, IN?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or South Bend, IN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and South Bend, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or South Bend, IN?
Expats usually find South Bend, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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